Steering-wheel lock.



T. A. SIVHTH) STEERING WHEEL LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.29. |916.

l ggQv Patented May 7,1918.

TRUM'AN A. SMITH, loF. MOBILE, ALABAMA.

STEERING-WHEEL LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 29, 1916. Serial No. 139,568.

To all who/m, t may concern:

Be it known that I, TRUMAN A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mobile, in the` county of Mobile and State of Alabama, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Steering-Wheel Locks, of

which the following is a specification.

This'invention relates to locks especially adapted to be used upon automobiles for the purpose of locking the steering shaft with relation to the column which surrounds the same and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient means for securing the steering shaft of an automobile against turning movement during the absence of the owner of the machine or an authorized person. lIhe said locking means is key operated and the key is retained by the owner or the authorized personafter the bolt of the lock is thrown and when the said owner or authorized person leaves the machine..

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the lock.

Fig. 2 is -a transverse sectional view of the same cut on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the modified form of the device. I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan vview of the form of device as shown in Fig. 3.

'As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the device includes a collar` 1 which may be secured to the foot board of an automobile in any suitable manner and which is provided at its upper portion with a casing 2. The column 3 is received in the collar 1 and the said column is provided at its side ad. jacent the casing 2 with an openingv 4. The

steering shaft 5 is turnably mounted in the column 3 and the said shaft 5 is provided at its side with an opening 6 which is adapted to be moved into register with the ppening 4 of the column 3. A bolt 7 is slidably mounted in the casing 2 and one end of the said bolt is received in the opening 4 of the column 3. A spring 8 is housed in the casing 2 and bears at one end against the side of the collar 1 and at `its other end against the shoulder 9 provided upon the bolt 7. The said spring 8 is under tension with a tendency to hold the bolt 7 in a retracted position in the casing 2.

A. shaft 10 is rotatably mounted in the casing 2 and carries a earn 11 which is adapted to engage the end of the bolt 7 when the said sha-ft is turned whereby the said bolt 7 is `moved to a projected position against the tension of the spring 8 and the end portion of the bolt is moved into'theopening 6 when the same is in register with the opening 4 whereby the shaft 5 is locked against turning movement with4 relation to the column 3. The shaft l0 forms a part of a lock 12 ofconventional vform and is best illustrated inFig. 2 of the drawing, and the said lock includes tumblers 13 as indicated 'in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and the lock is adapted to be operated or manipulated by means of a key 14. The bolt 7 is provided at its outer end with branches which lie at the opposite sides of the shaft and cam and serve to hold the parts in proper position with relation to each other.

When an owner or an authorized person leaves the automobile the key 14 is inserted -in the lock l2 whereby the shaft 10 is turned and the bolt 7 is moved from a retracted position to a projected position with relation to the casing -1 and the end of the bolt is moved into the opening 6. Thus the steering shaft is locked with relation to the column 3. When the owner or authorized person desires to use the automobile the key 4 is inserted in the lock 12 and the shaft 10 is turned so that the cam 11 is moved away from the bolt and under the influence of the spring 8 the bolt 7 is moved to a retracted position in the casing 2 and ypasses out of the opening 6 v.thus rendering the shaft 5 free to rotate in the column 3.

ln the form ofthe invention as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, a bracket 15 is attached to the dash board 16 of the automobile and the said bracket is provided with a casing similar to the casing 2 hereinbefore described and contains a bolt similar to that hereinbefore described and which is adapted to be operated by a key as described. In other words, both forms of the invention are substantially alike with the exception lthatthe casing 2 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is supported from a collar which is mounted upon the foot board while the corresponding casing as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is supported by a bracket 15 attached to the dash board of the machine.

From the foregoing description taken in stantial locking mechanism is provided for" Patented May "Z, 1918. l

securing the steering shaft of an automobile With relation to the column which receives the same and that the locking bolt may be easily and quickly moved by use of a key Which is detachable from the device and vhence an owner or an authorized person may use the mechanism and nleave a machine standing in a public place With comparative safety.

Having described the invention What is claimed is In combination With a steering shaft having an opening and a column having an opening, a casing mounted in a `fixed position with relation to the column, a spring when the same are in register With each other, a shaft journaled in the casing and *having a cam adapted to engage the bolt to move the same to a projected position7 said bolt having branches Which lie at the opposite-sides of the shaft and cam whereby the cam and shaft serve as a guidefor the bolt and the branches serve as a guide for the shaft7 and a key operated lock located in the casing for controlling the movement of the shaft. -4

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

TRUMAN A. SMITH. 

